Being forced to move so many states away from all that he once knew, Nessa was nervous to tackle his new life. Fortunately, it didn't take long for Nessa to meet a plethora of unique individuals who welcomed him into their lives:
The optimist, the k...
The room was mostly dark, a soft blue glow emitting from within the fish tank. Their fins trialed behind each movement, dreamily drifting throughout the water. Nessa watched from where he was curled up on his bed. Sat on his nightstand was that same stuffed bear. If he had any willpower, he would have destroyed it. Maybe he should have.
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They didn't know, they didn't even notice it. Venice wondered how, because to him, it seemed as clear as day. They all exchanged the question of what was wrong with Nessa? But Venice did not answer. He would never go back on his word.
Can I ask you something? Nessa had mumbled, the bell on the verge of ringing as they sat on the window sill. He didn't look up from his book when he said it, but based off of his blank stare, he was not actually reading it. Venice had nodded. Don't say anything. I can tell you know, so please don't tell.
There was something depressing about the way he said it, as though he didn't want his own words to be true. Because that meant that Venice knew something about him that was vastly too personal. He felt bad, he wished that it hadn't been so clear to him. But it was, Venice had a knack for discovering the things that kept people awake each night.
I won't. He meant to end it there, he really had. However, he couldn't help it. There was that overwhelming notion that he might have to see it happen again. Was that what his existence had been boiled down to? Endlessly watching people be destroyed by others in the worst ways imaginable? Venice could not take it again. But can I ask something of you?
Finally, Nessa lifted his head. He had the universe in his eyes and the sun in his cheeks, but a shadow in his heart. Okay.
Tell me. If he comes near you, I'll kill him.
Nessa simply nodded at the time, and Venice thought it to be sweet. Naïve. Was that what caused this to happen in the first place? His naïve side? People always believe that they're invincible, it's always that thought that these things could never happen to me. They do happen though, and that was the problem with the universe.
Sitting at his desk now, Venice relentlessly picked at his tattoo. Sometimes he wished that he hadn't made the decision to even get the ink permanently engrained within his skin. Some days he wanted nothing more than to forget, maybe not the woman it represented, but what happened to her. He wiped his palms on his jeans, wishing to finally get them clean, but knowing that it was impossible. They always felt dirty.
Maybe that was his punishment for failing so many times. Never being quite right, not in the head, not even his hands. He couldn't even smile, because he didn't know how. That was what he deserved for never succeeding, endlessly watching the people in his life suffer. Venice was doomed to a life as a bystander, who even when he tried to save them, was always just a moment too late.
Ilya told him once that it wasn't his job to protect others. Maybe that was true, but Venice still didn't agree with him. If it wasn't his purpose to try to help people, then why was he always surrounded by people who needed his help? Even in little ways. Keely and Emi needed someone to walk alongside them in case there was a creep. Ilya needed someone he could trust as though they were his own flesh and blood. Kiwi needed a friend who would make him feel safe from the opinions of others. And Nessa needed someone who would keep that pathetic excuse of a man away.
